Little League World Series: California ousts San Antonio, advances to US title game

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Hance Smith hit two homers, including a first-inning grand slam, to lead Petaluma, Calif., to an 11-1, five-inning victory against San Antonio on Thursday night and a berth in the U.S. championship game in the Little League World Series.

California will play Goodlettsville, Tenn., on Saturday.

Starter Danny Marzo, already a California hero for hitting a game-ending homer this week, came up big on the mound with 11 strikeouts in five innings.

He was gracious on the mound, too, after Texas’ Jordan Cardenas went deep in the third. The 12-year-old Marzo greeted Cardenas with a high-five with his glove hand as Cardenas jogged down the third-base line.

Earlier Thursday, Aguadulce, Panama edged Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, 2-1 to advance to the international final against Japan.

California didn’t have quite as difficult a time against Texas, the game ending in the bottom of the fifth due to Little League’s 10-run rule.

The Petaluma boys managed just two hits off Texas pitching in the decisive six-run first — but both balls landed over the outfield fence.

California loaded the bases on three walks. A wild pitch brought home the first run, and the bases were loaded again after Austin Paretti reached first on a dropped third strike.

Smith then hit a 2-2 pitch that just cleared the wall in left-center 225 feet away.

“Petaluma! Petaluma!” shouted fans of California.

Two pitches later, Quinton Gago went deep, too, and left no doubt about his shot. It easily cleared the wall in left and landed amongst fans perched on the grassy hill beyond the outfield.

It was such an impressive shot that even Smith stopped to admire the blast from the dugout, his eyes widening as the ball carried under the night sky.

But Smith wasn’t done himself.

Another homer to left in the third earned the 13-year-old slugger another set of pats on the helmet from happy teammates who greeted him at the plate.

California has a chance to avenge its only loss in South Williamsport — a 9-6 defeat to the Tennessee crew from Goodlettsville on Sunday. Texas was eliminated.

In the early game, 12-year-old Edisson Gonzalez had 11 strikeouts and James Gonzalez provided the offense with a two-run homer in the first to lift Panama.

Another rematch in on top in the international final. Tokyo beat Panama 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Panama manager Luis Gonzalez is also a proud uncle after his 12-year-old nephew hit the homer.

“It was a difficult game, but our pitcher did his job,” Luis Gonzalez said through a translator. “One pitch decided the game.”

Mexico scored in the fifth on Marcelo Perez’s RBI single, and had the tying run at second with two outs in the sixth.

But Edisson Gonzalez got a strikeout to end the game.

“I was not nervous in the beginning of the game,” he said, “but in the last inning when the first batter got on, I got nervous. (James’) home run helped because I’m not having a good tournament at the plate and we needed it to win the game.”

After the teams exchanged handshakes at the plate, Edisson Gonzalez joined several teammates to exchange high-fives one more time with Mexico’s disappointed players. He tapped counterpart Ballina, 13, on the shoulder, as the Mexico starter walked back to his dugout to offer kind words and an embrace.

Looking as cool and confident as a big-league ace, Edisson Gonzalez consistently worked ahead of the count and didn’t allow a runner to get past first until Eduardo Abrego doubled to left in the fifth.

“Yes we can! Yes we can,” Mexico’s vocal fans yelled in Spanish in trying to urge a comeback.

Perez followed with his solid RBI single to center, but Gonzalez got two strikeouts to end that inning.

Renowned earlier in the tournament for their power, Mexico hitters struggled at the plate until the final innings. The loss eliminated Mexico.

After beating Curacao on Tuesday, Mexico lost its second game without manager Fernando Rios, who was suspended two games after failing to have all his players take a turn at bat in a 4-3 win this week against Taiwan.

Mexico’s acting manager elected not to speak with reporters after the game.